The Seven Network managed to set a season record Melbourne audience for the AFL on a Friday night, but an epic encounter between the Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys that went into extra time saw Nine grab the honours in the clash of the codes.

The rugby league semi-final drew 733,000 across Sydney and Brisbane on Nine’s main channel, but was shaded by the 803,000 who watched the Bulldogs and Hawthorn on the main channel in Melbourne and Adelaide.

However, as the NRL fixture moved into Nine’s post-game timeslot with the score between Brisbane and North Queensland locked, the audience grew to 834,000, making it the most watched show of the night across the five metro markets.

Seven’s audience of 644,000 in Melbourne pipped the previous Friday’s season record.

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Seven News at 6pm was the most watched broadcast of the night with an audience of 924,000, followed by the news and Today Tonight at 6.30pm with 889,000. Nine’s news at 6pm drew 871,000.

Better Homes & Gardens on Seven was the most watched non-news/sport program of the night with 663,000.

With no sport on offer, Ten’s best performer of the evening was The Living Room at 7.30pm with 500,000 followed by The Project at 6.30pm with 490,000.

Seven won the night with a share of 27.4%, ahead of Nine on 20.2% and Ten with 9.2%.

Simon Canning was Mumbrella's marketing and advertising editor from 2015-2017. In a career spanning journalism and communications over more than 30 years Simon has become one of Australia’s most respected analysts and commentators on the advertising, marketing and media industries. A regular commentator on radio and TV, Simon has also worked in media in the US and UK .

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